


Aren't things better left unsaid?

by hawkeyescoffee



Category: Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Voyager
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Background Relationships, Idiots in Love, M/M, Minor Data/Geordi LaForge, Q hates it here, Requited Unrequited Love, Stubborn Idiots, Teenagers, Underage Drinking, Underage Smoking, but not quiet - Freeform, kathryn does her best but there are too many Q shenanigans, minor bevery crusher/Jacj crusher, minor william riker/Deanna Troi, q junior just straight up parent traps them
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-29
Updated: 2020-10-29
Packaged: 2021-03-09 05:54:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,175
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27269794
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hawkeyescoffee/pseuds/hawkeyescoffee
Summary: With a suppressed groan Q knew exactly what q was planning and he had enough already.When he looked on the table before him, he saw an accumulation of papers and books that were obviously homework, his homework because his meddling son had brought him into a teenage drama of the early 20es century. How troublesome.“Q.”, he looked up, already a biting comment on his tongue when all his annoyance melted away for a moment. When Data was seating himself opposite him, Q non-existential heart became heavier. But Data did not look like himself. He was, just as Q himself, younger and human.The android had died quite recently, but Q had been too caught up in his own shenanigans to notice or do something before it was too late. A regret he would carry a while as Data had been an agreeable companion for the short time he had found himself human.“Well, I suppose I should call you Quintin as long as we are here.”Q blinked and then rolled his eyes violently. “I can’t even choose my own name, son?”
Relationships: Data & Q (Star Trek), Jean-Luc Picard/Q, Minor or Background Relationship(s)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 6
Collections: Qcard Big Bang





	Aren't things better left unsaid?

**Author's Note:**

> Hello friends! Welcome to my first (puplished) Star trek fanfic!  
> I hope you enjoy me stupid nisch stuff

Q woke up, having an awful headache which was not a good sign altogether. First was of curse the little fact that he didn’t have a corporal form, not in the traditional sense and as such also no head that could be hurting, but it was the closest thing to explain the pain in humanoid terms anyway.

(He had probably bigger problems than such a minor detail if he was feeling pain in the first place.)

When he got upright, obviously having a humanoid body in this instant, he noticed several things at once: First he wore the same face he usually wore when he appeared aboard a Federation starship, and related to that he was wearing a command-red uniform.

Another thing was that the room, space really, was just a white void. Whatever bought him here was not really creative. Really, how uncreative.

“Father? I hope I did not hurt you…”

Well, given that Junior was not that old yet, the uninspired-ness was not such a surprise anymore. The kid was not that old after all. Six years of existence was nothing compared to the lifespan of most other Q.

“It is not so easy to hurt me, junior.”

He winked but he was not sure the other Q was buying it. More importantly, he should ask his offspring why he was keeping him in a pocket dimension. q’s eye’s twinkled with the kind of mischief that Q himself usually deployed. Damn it how much the kid was like himself.

“Besides.”, Q burrowed his eyebrows “The Continuum just got convinced that you are not a nuisance. Your mother-“

“Actually, _Q_ approves of what I am doing right now… Half the Continuum too…”

“What do you mean your mother approves?”

“She actually helped…”

Q glared. His son was a nuisance still his friendship with Icheb and the infrequent visits to Vice-Admiral Jeyneawy did not change the fact. (Though it had made the Continuum give him probation essentially) Especially now that he used his powers against his own father. The betrayal. The drama. The-

It made sense that _Q_ helped q because it would bruise his ego way more than he would like to admit if the kid managed to overpower him on his own. Maybe he was not as great of a father as he liked to pretend sometimes.

“The other half thinks it is going to be funny.”

Q grimaced as if he just bit into a lemon. He had no desire to be the laughingstock of his whole civilization.

“What are you exactly planning with me, my child? My son? The child I gave life to-“, he threw his arms in the non-existent air. He was livid with anger but since the Continuum was in on whatever this was- and he knew it was true because he felt that he could not just snap himself out- there was not much he could do right now except maybe listen. (which was not his preference.)

“Are you done being dramatic?”

“I am not being dramatic!”, he shouted into the void. Okay maybe he was being a bit dramatic but that was beside the point. His own son trapped him here, to whatever purpose. And it was not really his preference because he didn’t see the kid having any justifiable reason at all.

“You know if you stop and let me explain, you would actually now-“

“Why? Why am I here q?”

“Because you are in love with Captain Picard and-“

Q blinked at q. Because no- “I am not in Love with Jean-Luc-“

“A lot of people would say otherwise. And I didn’t know what to believe at first, but Mother-“

“Your mother-

“ _My mother_ knows you well, no matter how much you two are fighting with each other and the more time I had to think about it, the more I am inclined to believe the assessment. Especially after watching the time you spent on the Enterprise.”

“You watched me? Privacy, maybe?”

“You also treat Picard very differently from Aunt Kathy and you once wanted her to be my mother. Considering what it would take to create a Q/Human hybrid-“

“Q!”

“Father.”

“Maybe I do have a more advanced affection for Jean-Luc…”, as the child opened his mouth again, he raised a finger to stop him. “But I would not go so far as to call it…”, he grimaced disgusted, “Love.”

q sighed at that, the kind of exhausted sigh that was usually reserved for parents about their children, not the other way around. Q for his part had no patience for this anymore. (Less than he had in the first place anyway)

“I will put you in a pocket dimension as a human so you might confront your feelings for Picard.”, he tilted his head to the side as he watched his father. “I hope you will take the opportunity, to be honest to yourself. I just want you to be happy…”

Q scoffed at that. Maybe the sentiment was nice enough, but he really didn’t want his young child, his ex-lover, and co-parent, or any other Q for that matter to meddle in his (non-existent at the moment) love life. Sure, the kid wanted to help. He understood that. q was young and naïve. Probably believing that intimidating his feelings for Picard would free his father.

But Q knew better. Knew how dangerous and inconvenient it could be for a Q to be involved with mortal beings. They were different. Maybe q would understand the day he lost his first friend to the inevitability of death. (the way all carbon-based life had to end eventually…)

But Q was also aware that he had probably no room to have a discussion about the nature of life and death and meaning with his son when junior had already made his mind up. (Very evidently so). In that aspect, they were very much alike. Annoyingly alike. q did what he thought was best, not listening to other input. Should Q himself maybe rethink his own approach now that he had to swallow his own medicine? Maybe. Will he? Probably not.

Junior’s hand raised just like Q’s himself had done a million and one time. Then junior snapped his finger and the light flashed brightly.

  


__

  


“I can’t believe that my own son-“

Q was finding himself at a wooden table before he could complete that sentence. His human vessel was considerably younger, maybe eighteen and he wore jeans and a T-Shirt of a Terran band that was popular in the 1980s but the style of his outfit was more leaning towards the 2010s.

With a suppressed groan Q knew exactly what q was planning and he had enough already.

When he looked on the table before him, he saw an accumulation of papers and books that were obviously homework, his homework because his meddling son had brought him into a teenage drama of the early 20es century. How troublesome.

“Q.”, he looked up, already a biting comment on his tongue when all his annoyance melted away for a moment. When Data was seating himself opposite him, Q non-existential heart became heavier. But Data did not look like himself. He was, just as Q himself, younger and human.

The android had died quite recently, but Q had been too caught up in his own shenanigans to notice or do something before it was too late. A regret he would carry a while as Data had been an agreeable companion for the short time he had found himself human.

“Well, I suppose I should call you Quintin as long as we are here.”

Q blinked and then rolled his eyes violently. “I can’t even choose my own name, son?”

  


_It’s not like you would have been productive about it anyway. Besides what’s wrong with the name? I chose it carefully for you._

  


“Never mind.”, he then gritted out. The annoyance came back as suddenly as it had vanished. “ _Quintin_ it is than…” And because he didn’t want to waste any more time. “What are you doing here, Data?” The android smiled, a scarily human smile given that Q only knew him as an Android.

“I am here to help.”, he simply replied. Only now Q noticed that human Data was unpacking his own set of books and papers from his, he snorted, C3P0 Bookbag. At least his son seemed to have a sense of humor.

“Well, last time I checked you were dead.”, Q replied rather unhelpfully, and because he found that too mean himself, he added “regretfully.”

“To bring me back is an easy task for a Q, even someone as young as q. But before you become too surprised, I am not allowed to exist in our real universe. Many other Q have pointed out that you and q both seem to favor humans and federation species too much, resurrecting me for good seemed too much like playing favorites…”

Q rolled his eyes again. “I was allowed to do so much nonsense with humanity, but they draw the line at a single android life?”, he huffed out a bitter laugh. “Maybe it is because you actually care a bit.”, Data’s (freakishly) human eyes were soft. “q told me that you spoke highly of me and that’s why he stretched the Continuums patience a bit further for me. It is nice to know that you do regard me for a friend.”

He could not look at him at that, Q watched what turned out to be an American history textbook. Ugh, America. “I might have mentioned you here and there…”, he mumbled eventually. Data’s smile grew he knew, but the android didn’t say anything to that. (Maybe he knew Q better than the other liked to admit.)

“So, anyway what’s the plan?”

“According to q, you should seduce the Captain…”

Q snorted again. “Seduce him. Sure, any other person? Maybe. I am charming after all. But we all know that Jean-Luc can’t stand me. Besides, this is a pocket dimension. Nothing here is really real.”

Data shrugged: “He can’t stand you? I was under the impression he tolerated you-“

“What a great foundation for me to confess my undying love.”

“Undying love?”, a very cheeky smirk that was still unnerving. How should he get accustomed to human teenage data? “And I am pretty sure that q brought the actual Enterprise crew here. They just won’t know what’s going on and well they probably lose a few hours…”

Leaning back, Q groaned again. “Why-?”

“Like you didn’t kidnap us regularly to be involved in your selfish games?”

“Fine- Let’s change the subject-“

“Sure, we could talk about your undying love for the Captain..”

“ _Data_!”

The boy rolled his honey eyes, a more natural eye color than his normal one. He then picked up a pencil and started to scribble away. Q watched with a sneer. “Junior, do you expect me to go to school?”

  


_Yes._

  


Q glared to the ceiling. But put a nice pen into his hand and started to doodle some nonsense into what seemed to be _Quintin_ ’s history binder. Data watched him with amusement, but he still continued his own work without further comment.

It turned out they were sitting in a school’s library, small, cramped, and incredibly boring. There were some other students sitting in groups obviously studying too. None of them were the senior crew of the Enterprise-D, so-

“Data? Why do you hang out with Quintin out of all people?”

Q looked up, annoyed by the stupid human name, and came face to face with Worf, who had spoken, and Tori with Riker in thaw behind him holding hands and being all cutsie. Guess Junior did put into account that the two were now married and disgustingly in love. And all that jazz.

“Q is a good guy.”, Data replied with an easy smile as he kept solving equations. His friends didn’t seem to be that convinced though. Q, Quintin for part received more hostile glances from the now humanified Worf. (No aliens in the early 21st Century…)

This scenario was more frightening than junior probably realized.

“I don’t see why you would spend time with him.”

“And I don’t see how anyone would want to spend time with you, but alas I don’t just walk up to you and share those thoughts unsolicited. A _Hello_ would have been nice by the way.”

Now Data was glaring a bit, but seriously what was he - and junior for that matter – think he would do in a situation like this? Telling Worf that he was right that he didn’t deserve Data’s friendship? That he was an asshole?

“Worf.”, the counselor put her hand on his arm and distracted him from the task of burning a hole into Q’s head by using his eyes. “Don’t be rude. We don’t know Quintin as well as Data obviously does. Maybe we should give him a chance.”

“Maybe we shouldn’t.” With a glare, she elbowed her husband turned high school boyfriend. There was a reason he liked the counselor.

At that Q rolled his eyes violently, only when Tori was not looking anymore, naturally.

“Well, this conversation was lovely, but I suppose I should get going. Since I am obviously interrupting something.”, he stood.

“Quintin, wait!”, Tori was a real sweet girl, now was just not the time though. “Will is throwing a party this Friday night. We would be honored if you would join us.” She smiled at him and held onto both boys. It was Data’s ‘ _think about the reason we are here_ ’ kind of glance that made him except. He would not make any love confessions just because his son was pressuring him. But maybe in this world and with this body he could get drunk. Which was somewhat appealing.

“We will see.”, because he was not desperate (not that desperate) and because having a Data with actual human reaction was entertaining. “Thanks for the invitation, Tori. It is rather sweet of you.” And then he stuck out his tongue to Worf because he could. “See you in history class, Data.”

Somehow he knew his next class was English, with Picard of course. What stupid clichés would his son have in store for him? But right now it was still lunch break, so he strutted outside with his shoulder bag pulling with the weight of books.

It was a nice day, sure, but he was still annoyed with the situation he found himself in and that no one cared about how humiliating this was for him.

He leaned against the wall of the school and sighed. Q missed his powers already and he was not in the mood to play games at least not if he wasn’t the one in control. He could just prolong this whole process. Junior would see which of them was more stubborn! In the end, someone had to give in and it would not be Q.

“Quintin Astra? What are you doing all alone here? Are you getting into trouble again?”

Q would have laughed out loud, first for the fact that his son gave him such an unimaginative last name. Astra. Greek: _From the stars_. He sure was. Second the fact that he would meet Jean-Luc out here alone when he was not even trying. Third, it was weird seeing the man, young and with hair.

Was he here such a womanizer as his Academy time suggested?

All things considered: Having Data here and this younger, less stoic version of the Captain, was something he could see the appeal of, but there would be no wooing involved. Whatever _Q_ had told q, it was not the truth. He used to be in love with her. Even for Q standards, their relationship had been long. Many of his kind would grow bored easily, even if they weren’t as adventurous as himself.

Now their relationship was rocky at best. q had been a problem for a while and his Mother had even abandoned him for a hot minute there until Q had talked sense into her. The boy was the first child in millennia, and he was all alone. They could have hated each other, but that didn’t change the facts that they had to co-parent.

Q kicked off the wall and looked at the object of his unfortunate affection. Jean-Luc was glaring, effectively aging him a bit. “Why would I get in trouble out here, Picard?” He had a vague idea of what his relationship with Picard was in Junior’s scenario, so the last name felt a bit safer.

“As far as I can see you are out here all by yourself too. How do I not know that you are up to anything?”, he smirked and- ohhhh! There was a pretty girl coming from the same direction Jean-Luc had come too and someone was awfully red and brushed by them in the speed of light. Q ignored the heavy feeling in his chest and made his smirk broader. He even recognized her…

“Oh my~, Jean-Luc Picard! I knew you were a hypocrite! And ironically here I was just getting some air before English class.”

His captain turned and stalked away, but Q had no intention of letting this go any time soon. So, he followed hot on his heel, doing what he did best. Annoying his favorite Starfleet Captain.

“Fuck off!”

The tone of voice Jean-Luc employed was just too amusing not to stir a bit further. They had the same class now anyway. So, Q followed Picard to his locker. “So~, why would you accuse me of being shady when you are the one breaking the rules-“

“Well, technically I was not breaking any rules-“

Q leaned against the neighboring locker, fixing Jean-Luc, with a grin. “Who was it?” The captain glared again and fished his books out of his obnoxiously neat space. Seriously, who was this organized at seventeen?

“Why are you still here, Quintin?”

“Why can’t I spend a bit of time with you? You are my favorite person, after all.”

Picard stopped, skimmed over him with his eyes, and raised an eyebrow. When he finally opened his mouth to reply, Beverly not-Crusher-yet Howard decided to walk up to them “Hey, JL! Where were you? Jack and I were searching for you…”

“ _Yes, LJ_. Where were you the _whole break_?”, Q could not help himself. LJ was such a stupid nickname. And the doctor was so adorable about it too. It was almost sad. Picard slammed his door and turned away from Q.

“Quintin.”

“Beverly.”

“Beverly,”, Picard smiled at his friend. “Tell Jack, I see you guys after school.” Then he grabbed Q by the arm and yanked him into the direction of their classroom. It was hard enough to hurt, but Q could not stop laughing at Jean-Luc’s embarrassment.

“You are an asshole…”, the human finally muttered when they were sitting down, coincidentally next to each other. Very coincidentally. “I am not the one of us who breaks girl’s hearts left and right, mon Capitaine.”

__

q even gave him a home, with ever absent parents tough, guess the boy could not imagine creating his own grandparents, not even imaginary grandparents for some game.

It was adorable but it was not the point. It was a rainy Friday morning when he woke up for school. Ugh. He was still in this body, in this world and his son still was parent-trapping him to confess his love to a human.

He could just skip imaginary school, right?

What was q going to do? Give him imaginary detention?

His phone was vibrating. Oh yes, he had an old cellphone, and apparently Data wanted something from him.

  1. _Get up!_



_How do you know that I still lay in bed?_

_Call it an educated guess._

_Data, I could stay here and do nothing._

_You would be too bored too fast, to do that._

_If you go to school things are at least happening._

He was not wrong about it, but he was still stubborn about this whole idea. Besides, why would the other Q even be in on that, except to humiliate him? He hated everything about this. Everything.

_Don’t forget the party tonight. The Captain is coming too and-_

_Oh yes, because I really want to go get drunk while Tori and Riker and the Crushers make out, you be talking with Geordi the whole night, while Worf will be Worf and Jean-Luc will flirt with every girl that breathes his direction._

_Q? Are you jealous?_

_…  
No_

_I’ll pick you up in ten minutes_

Q chucked his stupid phone against the wall and groaned. A major drawback of this whole situation was that Q was very human, very hormonal right now, as a real teenage boy. He hated every damned second of it.

Eventually, he hopped out of bed, drank enough coffee to both burn his tongue and give him a heart attack, put on jeans, and brushed his teeth. He was a mess, but he didn’t give a flying fuck. He was not here willingly.

As promised Data was waiting for him outside.

And the school day itself was rather boring. But he guessed that it was better to stay in his model home.

__

In the end, Q stood before Riker’s house. Because Data was kind of right… What was he going to do? If he wanted to get out of here quick, he had two options: Actually managing to woo Picard, which was a ridiculous notion, or proof to Junior that it was impossible.

At this point he didn’t even deny that he had a certain affection for the Starfleet captain… (Would he say it out loud? Probably not.) But that didn’t mean it was a welcome idea to the human. Either way, he was here now.

Did he dress up for this?

Maybe.

If he ever enjoyed anything about residing in a mortal body, it was the option to indulge in fashion. q did give him the choice, so. Why not?

The house was buzzing with low bass as Q walked past a group of smokers, in his platform boots, tight leather pants, and a loose sweater with a skeletal hand flipping people off. Of course, the fit was completed with dark nail polish a collar, and eyeliner. The other kids eyed him for a moment, but Q got inside anyway.

He looked around the crowded living room and as he didn’t spot anyone he wanted to talk to, the kitchen was his next destination, as he wanted to find out if Junior would let him get drunk, like _shitfaced_. Wasn’t that one of the few things he could not do as Q?

Of course, the cheap whiskey was provided in red solo cups. Cliché much?

It was on the garden terrasse where he found Data, with Geordi of course. Q rolled his eyes because he called it. A part of him wanted to give the android a few moments with his friends since his time was limited, the other part wanted to be his usual asshole.

Well, going up to them was better than staring at them like a creep. Q put on his most convincing grin and called Data to announce his presence. (More to a still very blind LaForge’s benefit) His friend turned to him with a sad smile, and Q almost regrated his decision.

Geordi moved his white stick a bit to make room for Q. Which made the alien only a bit suspicious. Their relationship in the real world was not good, as it was with most of the Enterprise Crew for obvious reasons.

“Hello Quintin.”, the engineer said, “Data told me you would come today.”, his voice was friendly and Q fell between them. “Tori invited me, but I suspect it was more for Data than her desire to spent time with my charming self. By the way, I haven’t seen her or Ricker’s sad excuse for a beard yet. Isn’t his party?”

Data elbowed him between his ribs, which had no right to hurt that much. Human bodies were fucking useless.

LaForge chuckled as if he knew what was going down, maybe he and Data were so predictable that he had a good idea what the bickering and complaining meant. “To answer your question they should be somewhere upstairs searching for a set of playing cards to play a drinking game with us. Jack and Bev are dancing because they took too long. Jean-Luc didn’t even show up yet.”

“Oh I am sure they are searching.”, Q rolled his eyes violently. Data tilted his head questioning, fiddling with the sleeves of his bottom-up shirt. He was wearing a cute little bowtie. “Don’t ask.”, Q told him fast.

When Geordi snickered again, Q turned to him this time. “Don’t you dare!” He glared and then remembered that LaForge could in fact not see without the technology of the 23rd century, as the yellow-toned glasses were not his VISOR. So, he added, “I mean it.” For good measure.

Data looked like he wanted to ask, but they were saved as Beverly and Jack Crusher pulled an annoyed-looking Picard with them. Jack cramped next to Data and pulled his girlfriend into his lap. They giggled sickeningly. Ugh.

For his part Jean-Luc perched on an armchair a bottle of cheap beer in his hand. He greeted his friends, looked confused when he saw Q, who shot him a mock-salute. “Data, what is Quintin doing here?”, he asked ignoring Q completely. Which was rude.

“Actually.”, they all looked up to see Deanna with a big smile, her purple dress shining in the disco light. Riker was trailing behind her. “I invited him.” She sat on the armrest of the other armchair as Will sat down.

“Did you find your playing card or do you have other plans for a drinking game.”

Q had no intention to be the center of attention like this and well if Tori’s blush and Crusher’s gasp was anything to go by, he changed the subject successfully.

He smirked then, amused by Tori’s embarrassment. It was adorable he had to admit. Seeing those humans in such an emotionally immature state. It would be funnier if he wasn’t one of those insecure teenagers. “Hmmm, it took you a bit of time than…”

This time Geordi elbowed him, but it was at least a bit softer than whatever Data was doing. (He would not admit that it still hurt a bit.)

“So, no drinking game than?”

This time it was Picard that spoke. He seemed very uninterested in his friends' antics and stood as no one answered him immediately. He wore a wrinkled white T-shirt that was too tight for Q’s comfort with a blue jean jacket thrown over it. It was Riker who held him back by the sleeve. Deanna stood then too. Pressing a kiss on Picard’s cheek, she grinned.

It only grew brighter as Jean-Luc pulled a face and glared. Winking she pushed him a bit into the direction of his abandoned seat. “I’ll be right back with some stuff I hide for us and then we can play some ‘Never Have I Ever’.”

Before Picard could complain she was already on her way.

Leaving their little group in awkward silence.

“Sooo...” Beverly seemed to want to ease their mood before getting into the game. She pocked Q’s shoulder, leaning over Data and Jack. “Quentin. You haven’t hung out with us before how about you start today.”

“If we are lucky this will also be the last time.”

Beverly shot Picard a dark look that made him shut up and Q stick out his tongue to the teenage captain. But he turned to the Doctor with a sweet smile. “Thank you, Bev but I don’t need special treatment. I am sure we will have fun.” He singsang the last part, just to be rewarded with another glare from his favorite captain.

Well, he would have fun tonight if he could help it.

Tori came skipping back with a bottle of vodka and lemonade, as two cups for each of them. “Drinks and chasers for everyone.” When everyone was supplied she sat with Riker again, holding her own cup of booze. “Who starts?”

And as they all stayed silent she rolled her eyes, good-natured but a bit annoyed.

“Never have I ever stood someone up on a date.”

Q watched Beverly, Riker, and Picard swallow some vodka. Bev scrunched up her face in disgust as the alcohol probably burned her throat. The fruity soda followed fast.

Deanna threw the doctor a peace sign. The statement seemed to have been targeted. “Someone else wants to continue? No?” she did not wait for an answer. “Never have I ever said the wrong name in bed!”

Beverly’s gaze was hard on Tori as she took another swig. Obviously furious that her friend would sell her out like this. The disbelieving looks of her friends made her turn red fast and Jack caressed her leg reassuring, smiling into her neck. “In my defense.” the girl started. “It was basically almost over with Ronin when it happened…”

“Who was it?”, Q could not help himself.

Beverly sighed defeated and mumbled: “Jack” out, In the meantime Picard drank and Q too quickly so, hoping no one would notice. It was Ricker who pointed that out to the general group though. “LJ! Quintin! Now you guys have to spill too!”

Q had no intention to share that he might have had Picard’s name on his lips when he was fooling around with another mortal man, so Quintin just shrugged. “Called a one-night-stand my crush’s name. They did not like that.”

“You crush on people?”, Picard shot him a condescending look. Q wiggled his eyebrows. “Contrary to popular belief I do have feelings.”

“Yeah sure…”

“wow, Jean-Luc.” Q gripped his chest as if holding onto his heart, dramatically. “Your words are so sharp-“

“My turn!” Beverly emerged from trying to hide in her boyfriend's chest, interjecting the boys’ bickering. “Never have I ever cheated on an exam.” Everyone drank with the exception of Data, who made his disappointment clear. Deanna kicked at the other girl. “Can’t believe you think that was bad, love.”

Q made eye contact with Picard and winked mischievously. Again: He was here to have fun. “Never have I ever been caught red-handed making out with Fiona Miller under the bleachers during lunch break.”

Everyone blinked at him and then at Jean-Luc as he swallowed alcohol, flipping Q off in the process. Data was so nice and informed Geordi of the picture before them. “Hey, Quintin how-?”

“Never have I ever been the most annoying person in the room.”

Picard’s voice was loaded with sweet irritation.

Q clicked his tongue at that (and stopped Data from drinking) “I don’t really believe you, Mon préféré.” The term of endearment only darkened Picard’s mood, but Q drank and it didn’t sting that much this time. “Never have I ever slept with someone whose name I didn’t know.”

There was a part of Q that was vaguely aware that this one was mean since he was omnipresent in his natural form and as such a being he had a vast knowledge to fall back on, but getting his favorite captain railed up was amusing to watch.

“Q.”, Data elbowed him again. In the same spot. “Yes, yes…”, he mumbled.

“Never have I ever had sex in a public place.”

Geordi’s voice was smooth next to Q and it was surprising to see Riker drink next to Picard.

“Never have I ever had a friend with benefits.”, Riker wiggled his eyebrows at Picard, who finished his first cup with that one. Q’s own was looking empty-ish too, but as he took his swig. (Did the fact that he still slept with _Q_ from time to time even though they haven’t been dating in centuries count?)

He watched the other kids as he drank from the fruity soda that was in his other cup. Data was stone-cold sober while Beverly was tipsy already. He had to admit that he started to feel the effects of the vodka too. As he grew giddier and his belly flexed with warmth.

“Never have I ever kissed someone of the opposite sex.”

Jack stuck his tongue out to Beverly who shoved him and drank, as did everyone else. Q shot Data a questioning look because he was not aware that the android kissed people in general. He heard a little groan and turned in time for Bev’s “See? I told you, you were the only one.”

“We could change that.”, Will’s grin was suggestive enough. Jack leaned over the armrest to stage whisper to Riker that they should at least ask if their girlfriends would be okay with it. At Bev’s snorted consent, Riker pressed a dramatic closed-mouthed kissed on his friend.

Everyone cheered but Q rolled his eyes in Data’s direction and Geordi asked: “Seriously?”, under his breath.

“Are we done here?”, Picard fidgeted with his refilled cup.

“Jesus, L.J.” Deanna tried to kick at him too. He was too far away though. “Can’t you stay once and have fun with us?”

A suppressed sigh and then he stood. “I need some air…” Before anyone could stop him, Picard slipped into the Rikers’ backyard. Q drained his cup in a curt motion and then hived himself upwards too. “I’ll take advantage of this break and powder my nose.” A dramatic, maybe alcohol-fulled hand gesture and he was on his way, all while trying to ignore the thick silence Picard had left in the group.

When he was finished with his business he washed his hands and starred into the board mirror above the well-lit sink. It was a weird feeling starring but not seeing, laughter, bass, and yelling in the background without really disturbing the stillness of the moment.

Was that the reason humanoids indulged in drugs? Absurd moments like this?

_Father? Are you alright?_

  


Q suppressed his own sigh and maybe a cranky remark. The last thing he needed was q checking upon him and his drunken sulking. “Yes…” he murmured. “I am fine. I am good.”

Another breath, another pause. He smiled then. “I am having fun, Junior! Isn’t that what you wanted?”

When his son stayed silent, Q scoffed and left again. Should he go back to Data? The Bridge crew were not his friends and after their little drinking game fell flat so fast… He just didn’t want to spend awkward silence with them, especially when they just did it from a misplaced form of duty or hell, even pity.

Standing in the corridor, like a lost puppy, Q’s gaze flew over the group. Beverly took advantage of his absence and sat now next to Data, who was in turn squished against Geordi. Jack still had a relaxed arm around his girlfriend, while he was part of their conversation. Will and Deanna cuddled on the armchair, being all cutsie and shit. It looked uncomfortable.

They all looked like couples like they were on a triple date.

He didn’t want to be intruding.

(More than he had already at this point anyway)

In the end, he decided to step outside to the front lawn, in the company of a bottle of booze and maybe he could bum a cigarette from the kids standing there? Did he ever smoke in the human fashion? Q could not say he remembered.

When the cool night air hit his skin Q could breathe a bit lighter than before. It melted the queasy feeling of anxiety the hot stuffed house had installed in him and maybe he was not so drunken after all.

He brushed his hand true his hair, careful not to disrupt his make-up, and filled his lunges with a deep breath. This was fine- Well, not fine _fine_ , but he could manage. This could be fun enough. He would smoke because he could, get prober drunk and call it a night.

Maybe junior was now guilty enough to set things back to normal?

He had little hope for something like that.

Suddenly feeling watched he jerked around. Warm grey eyes met his own. Picard leaned against the Piker’s piked fence, a lit cigarette between his soft lips and a breeze in his hair. Q would like to know how long the other teen had watched him. He hoped it was not too long. He felt weirdly valuable right now.

“Hey there, mon Capitaine.”, he tried a grin that felt somewhat strained and Q was not sure how convincing he was. Being in this form was becoming more and more annoying. Picard cocked an eyebrow at him: “You are not with the others?”

“You are not in the garden?”, Q buried his hands in his sweater and propped himself next to the object of his secrete affection. “Or did you walk around the house…” Q’s eyes lit up. “So, Beverly would not see you smoke?”

The annoyed eye-roll was more than enough as an answer. “Might lend me a Smoak?”, he asked then, more at ease than he had felt only a few moments ago. “Lending? Will I get it back?” Q cocked his head in an exaggerated gesture of confusion. “I didn’t know you wanted my used trash… I might also take it as a payment for my silence.”

Picard looked at him, sighed dramatically (Ah, yes the stoic captain of the Starship enterprise) but fished out the pack out of his jacket anyway. Q took it gingerly ignoring the jolt of nervous energy as their fingers brushed against each other. “Light?”

“Give me a sec…”, he was fiddling with his jacket again, just to move on to his jeans. Q watched the paper of Jean-Luc’s cig burn away. He was short of patience maybe for the alcohol in his system. The giddy energy he had felt at the first time of tipsiness had come back to him. Without thinking too much he grabbed Picard’s face. Not dwelling on the smooth skin warming his fingertips, he lit his cigarette with the one in Jean-Luc’s mouth.

Taking a moment too long to retract, Q inhaled the drug, exhaling grey smoke without faltering to the urge to cough. A win in his bocks all things considered. Picard’s eyes were on his face again, dipping to Q’s mouth for a second as the other teen was plucking the cigarette from his lips. What they were searching for he could not say.

“What are you doing here, Quintin?” Picard did not say anything about the way Q had lit his cigarette like he thought he might have. If anything Jean-Luc was not looking at him at all anymore. Instead, he flicked ashes into the neat lawn.

“Here outside? Or here at the party?”

Here next to you?

Jean-Luc rolled his eyes again. “You never hung out with us… Sure, Data seems to like you, but I’ve never seen you indulge him so much as tonight.”

“He is my friend.”, Q admitted way easier than he had expected. “Maybe I just wanted to be a bigger part of his life. Maybe I like your annoying little group more than I led on.”

He didn’t like how the small smile on Picard’s face warmed his chest; a better guard against the night than the bottle of whisky in his hand. “I hardly believe you like anyone.”

The smoke filling his lungs still stung but it made him giddy in an entirely different way than the alcohol. “Easy for you to say. We hardly ever do anything than argue when we spent time together.”

“To be fair that is more your fault that you are so annoying and argue for argument's sake.”

Q scoffed but nibbled at the filter of his cigarette butt. Picard had extinguished his on the fence. With a last inhale he followed suit, blowing the smoke thru his nostrils. For a while they stood next to each other, quietly tending to their own thoughts.

“Jean-Luc? Quintin?”

They looked up to be met with Daenna crossing her arms over her chest. “Didn’t think I would catch you out here together…”, she scrunched up her face in disgust. “Were you smoking out here?” Her face was warm with the vodka in her system, but she had enough wits with her to know exactly what transpired. “You won’t tell Bev tough…?”, Picard asked gingerly.

She grinned and gestured to lock her mouth. “Only if you both come back inside. We want to play truth or dare and the more the marrier.” Now it was Q’s turn to look sulky. “Why do I have to come with you?”, he asked. “I don’t give a shit what Bev says about smoking.”

“We are right behind you.”, Jean-Luc smiled at her and clasped his hand around Q’s wrist to yank him behind him. Why was he so much stronger than him? It was not fair.

Why would junior so mean to him?

But Q being Q complained the whole way in because just because he was coming along, didn’t mean he would be pleasant. When they arrived with their group again, arguing like the quiet moment outside did not happen, the coffee table wand armchairs were pushed aside and everyone sat on the carpet around an empty bottle.

Quickly the bickering pair were sat down between Data and Will and Deanna planted herself next to her boyfriend. Picard was still holding on to Q, who felt it like a burning touch hyper-aware of every part of her body that was connected to Jean-Luc. “Is that black or purple?”

“Pardon…?”

It was hard to concentrate with his head swimming and Jean-Luc fingers brushing over his nails and skin did not help to sort himself out. “Your nail polish…”

Q blinked and mentally slapped himself. Why was he such a touch-starved teenager? Ugh. “It’s a deep purple.”, he answered more quietly than he intended as he wiggled himself out of Picard’s grip to hold the paintwork against the light so the other might see more clearly.

Suddenly a cushion hit Jean-Luc square in the face. “Come on J-L! We want to play here! You can flirt with your archenemy later.”

“I wasn’t flirting!”

“Isn’t Archenimy a bit too much?”

They were talking over each other but Bev just rolled her eyes and shushed them so Will could spin the bottle. It landed on Data.

“Truth or Dare?”

“Truth?”

“Among all the people in this room, which one of us would you like to date?”

“Dare?”

“Data?”, Will’s mouth stretched out into an incredibly wide smile. If Q had found human Data eerie so far having him blush pink and shy, was a sighed that made him stop. It was adorable sure, but it felt wrong on this one.

“I-“, Data stuttered and then shut his mouth again. “I don’t know.”, he finally spoke. “Even if I liked someone here like this…” A hand came up to ruffle his hair. Geordi smiled at their friend. “It is okay Data, you don’t have to answer.” He blushed harder. A good thing that one could not see.

It was Deanna with whom Q exchanged a meaningful lock this time. He hoped those two would work it out eventually. He blinked as he was brought back to his reality. Data was dead… If he had romantic feelings for Geordi, he could never express them… In no way that was real anyway.

“Fine…”, Will shrugged, “Say “banana” after everything you say until it is your turn again.”

“That is acceptable. Banana.”, he grinned and spun the bottle another time. Bev winked at him. “Do your worst.”

Data smiled now again. At ease in his skin again. “Truth or Dare!”

“Truth.”

“If you did not date Jack, who else in this room would you go on a date with?”

Q watched Beverly peak over to Jean-Luc with a disgusting spike of jealously, but the moment passed and Beverly smiled at Data again. “Deanna, of course!” She blew the other girl an exaggerated kiss as both of them dissolved in giggles. “I don’t think I could compete with that.”, Jack jocked.

They moved on eventually. Next, it landed on Will, who choose dare.

Beverly grinned wickedly.

“Post an embarrassing picture of yourself online.”

Begrudgingly Will showed them a few unflattering photos and they eventually voted on one where he had been blackout drunk and disheveled. The angle had not been great either. Picard teased him quite a bit about it.

Only to shut up when the bottle pointed to him next.

“Truth or Dare? J.L.?”

“I am going to regret it, but Dare.”

The grin on the other boy’s face was straight out wicked.

“I dare you to kiss Quintin.”

Q blinked. “Could you maybe try to ask me too before making dares like this?” His heart was pounding with anxiety “Who says I want to kiss Picard?”

“Who says I want to kiss you either?”, Picard watched Q now, ignoring Riker’s teasing in favor of studying Q’s face for a moment. Was he really about to go thru with this?

“I mean you guys don’t have to.”, Data and Bev interjected in unison.

Licking his lips Q broke eye contact and fixed Will, forcing his voice to be even, swallowing his panic. “I would appreciate that you would keep me out of your attempts to rail up, Captain Fuckboy over there.” Picard objected to that but Q just pushed him away. Maybe more to get physical distance between them.

“Why so scared, Quintin?” Will really had a field day right now.

“Oh, you got me!” Q spat overdramatic. “I will definitely fall for his charms the moment he kisses me because he is such a pretty boy.” He rolled his eyes.

“Hmmm, but it is J.L. who is was flirting with you earlier.”

“Will, come one... Leave them alone.”, Deanna poked his side.

Picard caught his gaze once again. “What do I have to do that you would let me?”, he asked. Q quirked an eyebrow. “You are that desperate to prove that you don’t mind kissing me?”, to say that was confusing, to say the least. “Will accused me of ignoring my attraction to men and that is what this is probably about that. So, what do you want in exchange?”

Q huffed out a laugh. There had been a time when he had questioned his decision to appear in a male form as he feared that it was the reason the Captain did not return his affection, but this was a game-changer. “You owe me.”

“Deal.”, Picard leaned in waited a moment for Q to adjust, and then pressed his warm lips against Q’s in a chaste kiss. It still sparked a cocktail of emotion and hormones in his stomach. Leaving him to crave more. Things he would probably never get.

“Come one man that doesn’t count!”

They were arguing now as Q avoided Data’s worried look.

“Fine!”, Jean-Luc threw his friend a dirty look and before Q could react or compose himself, he grabbed him by the color and kissed him again, earnestly.

Q’s brain short-circuited and he took a heartbeat to kiss back, sloppy and drunken, but Picard didn’t seem to be so much better off. His tongue tasted like cheap beer, but Q didn’t mind that much…

  


__

  


“Aunt Kathy?”

Jeanaway looked up from her work, to have q sitting in a chair opposite her. She sighed but smiled at the youth. The report she had received could wait.

“What do you need today, Junior?”

“I wanted to ask you for your opinion and advise.”

The admiral smiled at him and folded her hands on her desk to show the young entity that he had her full attention. “What happened?”

q seemed nervous. A rare look on the young Q. Like his father he usually was self-assured and cooky. Something that seemed came naturally with unlimited power. He sighed and just told her what he had done.

Kathryn for her part grew more and more concerned with the Q’s choices. “Junior.”, she started, unsure of how to voice her concerns and displeasure without invaliding his good intentions. But it was not right for him to force his influence on other people’s love life. Especially if one of them were not even aware of the things that happened against their will.

Instead, she opted to appeal to his own emotion. “You would not be here to ask for advice if the things you did felt right…” It was a statement, not a question.

The young being squirmed a bit in his seat. “But I don’t see any other way to- to solve this…”, he admitted eventually. “For better or worse we will know better after that…”

“Oh q.”, she took a deep breath but before she could lecture some more the Q was already gone again.

This family would be the death of her someday.


End file.
